It's morning, Takahara is making breakfast and hears someone enter the kitchen. "Good morning," she says while cutting the vegetables, feeling a gaze on her buttocks although she doesn't give it any importance because it could be an accident.

After finishing serving the food, Takahara sits at the table next to Akira. "Darling hurry up and eat before it gets cold," she says smiling, trying to raise the tension since Akira is immersed in his newspaper as always. Takahara sits carefully, cutting a piece of fruit, while the other person stands in front of them, eating silently and observing the family dynamic.

Akira, as usual, has the newspaper spread out in front of him, using the pages as a barrier between himself and the others. Takahara glances sideways at the paper, her lips pursed, struggling not to show her growing frustration.

Suddenly, Akira lowers the newspaper, revealing his expressionless face. His tone is casual, almost indifferent, as he speaks. "I'm going to travel to Hokkaido on business. I leave this afternoon and return on Monday."

The sound of his voice breaks the silence like glass falling to the floor. Takahara sets the knife down on the plate with a thud and turns her head towards him. Her eyes shine with a mix of disbelief and pain. "Again?" she asks, her voice shaking slightly as she tries to remain calm.

Akira doesn't respond right away. He simply picks up a cup of coffee, takes a sip, and reopens the paper as if the conversation was over.

This only fuels Takahara's anger. "Akira!" she exclaims, her voice rising a little higher. Her hands shake as she tries to hold back the tears that are gathering in her eyes. "You always do the same. Don't you care about what I feel? Don't you care about how this affects us? You leave us here, alone, as if we don't matter at all."

Akira doesn't look up from the paper. In a cold, distant tone, he mutters, "It's work, Takahara. Someone has to maintain this house."

That answer is like a dagger to Takahara's heart. Tears finally slide down her cheeks, though she quickly wipes them away with the back of her hand, trying to maintain some dignity. Her shoulders shake as she tries to suppress a sob. "And what about us?" she asks quietly, almost like a whisper, but her pain is evident.

Akira doesn't respond. He simply flips to the next page of the paper, his indifference a further blow. She abruptly stands up from the table, carrying her plate to the sink with clumsy movements. Her back is stiff, and her hands clench the edge of the sink as if it's the only thing keeping her standing.

The sound of Akira's footsteps echoes through the room as he stands up. "I'm leaving in a few hours," he says, picking up his briefcase before leaving the dining room without looking back.

Several hours pass, Akira has already left and the night is silent, barely broken by the murmur of the wind blowing softly outside the house. Takahara's room is dimly lit, illuminated only by the moonlight that filters through the half-open curtains. She is lying face up in her bed, covered in her pink sheet. Her face is calm, but the traces of the crying she had suppressed during the day are still marked on her cheeks.

The door opens slowly, without making a sound. You enter the room with cautious steps, your eyes adjusting to the dim light as you approach the bed. You came to talk to her about the fight with Akira and especially about the way she has treated you in the last few weeks, being very flirtatious. The expression on her face is something you can not quite define. Takahara moves slightly in her sleep, letting out a soft moan, but doesn't wake up.

For a moment, you stand by the bed, watching her. The vulnerability she rarely shows is on full display now, with her calm breathing and relaxed posture. And lately she has been behaving differently with you, with a lot of physical contact and even double-entendre banter, almost as if she were another person... not her usual maternal attitude but rather flirtatious.

Finally, you pull down the pink blanket, revealing that she is only sleeping in a brown camisole that highlights her slim figure and white panties. At that moment, Takahara slowly opens her eyes, blinking to focus on you. Her gaze meets yours, and for a second, it seems like she is going to say something, but she remains silent. "What are you doing here?" she asks in a nervous voice.